


Beneath a Blanket of Snow

by hoarfrost_sn



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Construction worker/Barista!Kristoff, F/M, Kristanna, Modern AU, Runaway!Anna, Singer AU?, Singer!Elsa
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-19
Updated: 2014-05-05
Packaged: 2018-01-19 22:57:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1487236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hoarfrost_sn/pseuds/hoarfrost_sn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kristoff Bjorgman finds the troublesome runaway Anna Arendelle moping in the streets of New York after being rejected in trying to rise into fame. After inviting her over to his place, an unlikely friendship blossoms between the two in between struggles, chasing dreams, and the fact that they're falling in love with each other. Kristanna! Modern AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hi so this is still a wip but i tried. hope you check this story out on tumblr and ff.net too~

"Your music sucks!"

The barista screeched as he threw the little redhead out of his shop with ease, hitting her bottom on the cold wet streets of New York as the rain continued to pour above her head.

Those words were enough to break Anna Arendelle's heart into a million tiny pieces, her face twisting in grimace as her eyebrows knit up with her big round eyes having tears threatening to pour right out as she looked up.

"W-wait! No!" she immediately recovered from her fall as she got up and clutched at the shop owner's shirt, begging. "Please—please! I need the job I can play 24/7 if you want just—"

"Are you deaf, lassie?!" the man turned to her, the beating of her heart pounding against her chest as she tried to not take his words to heart. "I said. Your. Music. Sucks. Find another guy or deaf man to listen to your music!"

She caught a glimpse of what he was holding in one hand, the warm air of his shop tickling her face as she held back and bit her lower lip.

Wait, no, no—not my—

He broke from her grasp and threw her against the floor again, falling on the ground on her bottom once more.

Crash

No.

Anna watched in horror as her guitar, her dreams, her career—her life crash and fall before her eyes. Her heart sank as she clutched on her damp skirt and grazed her hand to her knee, now scarred by the rough surface of the streets of New York.

"Kids, sheesh!" the man grumbled as he slammed the door behind him. "It's so hard to find raw talent these days…"

It wasn't Anna's fault.

She had nothing to do with it. She didn't want to run away from home to a city she barely knew. She didn't want to be all alone and no place to sleep in a scary city that she wasn't fond of. It wasn't her fault that she caught a bad cold that she can't sing properly even if she wanted to. It wasn't her fault that she ended up cold and alone in the streets of New York because she's chasing after her dream.

Sniffles.

Anna wasn't going to cry. She was a strong, independent woman who was trying to find a job so that she could continue on living. She doesn't need anybody. Or so she believes.

She picked up her cream-colored guitar, cradling it in her arms as if soothing a baby to sleep. There was an unlikely crack on the side of it now as she grazed her fingers over it to memorize its crevices like a song.

Anna immediately got up. She couldn't just mope around, she couldn't lose hope! She ran all the way here to New York just to get rejected by an old fart after all.

"Right!" she cheered to himself as she brushed off her skirt and hoisted her guitar over her shoulder while blinking back tears. Fisting her hands she pumped them into the air with a burning determination stirring in her soul. "I can't lose hope now! There are like, over hundreds of other shops who'd accept me… right?"

Her voice cracked slightly, hoarse from the cold she caught. She shook her head and began to walk down the wet streets, careful not to slip and fall on her bottom again. Her wet skirt dancing in each step she took, not caring that her pink shirt was already soaked in the rain.

"Hmmph!" she huffed to herself. "One day if I get famous I am so going to get revenge on that old man! Huh, who asked him to judge my talents? What does he know about talent, about my life, my dreams, my—"

Her voice caught up in her throat as she stopped on the curb, the streetlamps flicking on and off in along the empty streets. Not a single shadow to be seen except for hers.

'Maybe I really do suck.

Anna came to the conclusion as she looked up into the heavens and hung her head backward letting the rain fall on her delicate face like teardrops. Her eyes clouding and pooling with her own tears as well as she continued to watch her whole world falling apart. Despite it all, she managed to curl her lips up into a tired smile, eyebrows knitting up as she saw the heavens strike lightning into the sky, shaking and flashing lights of little hope in her heart in the middle of dusk. Not a star to be seen, hopeless.

She hung her head forward, burrowing one booted shoe into the ground. What's she going to do now? She had no place to stay… no job… no career… her dreams flushed down the drain and—

Anna began to run with eyes screwed shut as wretched memories flood her mind.

You're not good enough

You're not cut out to be a star

She just wanted to get away, far, far away.

You have too many freckles

Your songs are too cliché

You're—

"Ach!" she whimpered as she hit a rather sturdy, yet human like form in her sprint, making her stagger back and fall on a grimy puddle on her bottom again. Her skirt was soaking wet now with mud, and gosh did she swear her arse was swelling already from falling down for too many times in one night, she's lost count.

"You really should watch where you're going," she heard a man sigh above her. Anna's vision had blurred, easing a hand to her head as her sight shook from her fall. Looking up, she saw a blonde man with quite a rough physique. "Seriously, who bumps into the one person walking in an empty street? Are you blind? Or maybe you were running with your eyes closed? Maybe you should get your eyes checked."

He scowled above her, cranking his neck and popping the knots on his broad shoulders with a black umbrella in one hand and eased his free hand to straighten his jacket.

Anna felt the lump in her throat come back, the heaviness in her chest being a burden to her now unsteady breathing. Somehow, the man above her reminded her of how much worse her night could actually get. She sniffled, trying to hold back the welling tears in the corners in her eyes.

She didn't meant to, really.

"I'm sorry it's just that—" she took a sharp inward breath and exhaled heavily, her eyes traveling everywhere, uncertain where she should lock her gaze at. "—I'm having a bad day, and I didn't mean to bump into you, a-and yeah I was running with my eyes closed and it's just that—" she choked. "I'm sorry."

The blonde couldn't believe he actually made a complete stranger cry. Now she was just making him feel like a complete jerk about it. He was left flabbergasted as he watched her cry, her cheeks puffing red and her eyes screwing shut as she tried to hide her face by wiping her tears using her arm soaked in the rain. He figured he was being too harsh on the poor girl…

He cursed beneath his breath and sighed in defeat.

"Here, get up," he reached out and offered his hand. Anna was quite fazed that even though she crashed into him like a mad bull with bloodshot eyes jousting its target, he didn't fall. She did see him stumble from their unlikely crash, but guessing by the looks of it, from his flexing muscle beneath his coat, and her eyes tracing the veins popping in his wrist, it took more than just a puppy like her to bring down this man. Nevertheless, she did take his hand as she stopped her sobbing.

Pulling herself up, she faced down on the ground not wanting to look up the stranger. She just crashed into him, got yelled at and even cried in front of him. Gosh, that was embarrassing. Not that she wanted to make a good impression on him or anything but…

"I'm sorry, really," she admitted sincerely this time, still scared of looking him in the eye as she wiped the wretched tears that stained her face, poorly hidden in the rain. "I'll be more careful next time. I got to go—"

Just when she was about to slip past him, his calloused hands suddenly grasped her wrist tightly. Her heart stopped.

"You're not from around here, aren't you?"

"Um, no," she admitted turning to him.

"Do you have a coat? An umbrella?"

She shook her head no.

"…a place to stay?"

Again, she shook her head as she felt her cheeks flare. Her eyes batted up at him in curiosity why he was peppering her with questions.

Anna got a good view of him now, she was right. He was big, but not fat big. He was more of muscular kind of big. Blonde hair a mop beneath a warm fuzzy beanie hat and a black jacket. He had sort of a big nose, but it looked good on him. His cheeks were bright pink, maybe from the cold or maybe he's blushing? She wasn't sure.

He is kind of cute…

Anna mentally slapped herself.

Finally, after an awkward silence the blonde managed to choke out words.

"C'mere," he said as he pulled her towards his broad chest. Anna's cheeks burned as her mind went completely for a moment as she was pressed against him. She felt him shift against her.

"Here," he offered as she felt a sudden warmth envelope her entire body. He wrapped his jacket around her and the pulled the hood over her head. She looked up at him, shocked. He shrugged at her and began walking down the road.

Shocked, she couldn't help but tilt her head towards the complete stranger who's just given her his jacket. She cocked an eyebrow at him just in time for him to see as he looked at her over his shoulder.

"Are you coming or what?" Anna cringed as she then squinted her eyes at him, still skeptical.

"W-Where?"

"My apartment," he stated bluntly as he turned away from her and began to walk straight ahead again. "I assure you it's a lot cozier than staying in the streets surviving on leftovers with the rats, you know."

Anna felt tears well, threatening to stream down her face again, but held it back. No one has ever done her a nice gratitude in weeks, not her sister, not her maids left at home, not the talent scouts, but it was this rugged stranger she absolutely knew nothing about.

She bit back her grin and clutched at his jacket that was comfortably wrapped around her as she began to run towards him stopping abruptly as she walked side by side with him.

"You should dry off, don't want you catching a—"

"Achoo!"

Anna suddenly sneezed right in front of him, but in just the right time to cover her button nose and mouth. With a runny nose, she sniffed her cold back in.

"—cold. Too late," he sighed.

From the corner of his eyes, he could see her small shoulders shaking from the cold. He groaned to himself again.

With one hand holding his umbrella up, his arm reached towards her and tugged her in an undeniably awkward hug. Anna jerked her head up at him in surprise, feeling her cheeks flush almost immediately as his body warmth enveloped her in the sudden closeness.

"T-the extra warmth helps," his cheeks were burning as well as he strained himself not to look down at her puppy dog eyes. Her shoulder kept bumping up his chest. "Don't look at me like that!"

She giggled.

"I'm Anna," she introduced herself politely, still not wavering to break contact with him as her boots made splashing noises on muddy puddles.

"Kristoff," he replied casually, finally looking down to meet her gaze. "Starts with a K and ends with two F's."

She was small, that's for sure. He thought he might be a foot taller than her, considering how petite she was. Her auburn hair reminded him of autumn, crisp and nice. It was divided into two braids, bouncing with each step she took. Face sprinkled with freckles, button nose, tight-lipped smile—in the back of his head he was distracting himself because of the fact that she was so cute looking up at him with big round puppy eyes.

He mentally jabbed himself.

"Thank you," Anna said sincerely as they walked, his fingers easing over her shoulder as he drew her closer, seeing how she was still shivering against him. "Really."

He smiled back.

Maybe this stranger isn't so bad after all.

Kristoff thought in the back of his head as the rain continued to pour above the umbrella, even though she was sort of annoying and stubborn. Anna had her guitar slung on her back ready if he were ever going to try anything funny—she wouldn't think twice of smashing it on his head.

But she did think he was nice, too.


	2. Little Warmth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kristoff takes Anna to his apartment, and she shows him her dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really know if I should continue this fic... but if you think I should, leave a comment here or on ffnet so that I'll know what you think

I have no idea what I'm doing.

Kristoff thought as he glanced over his shoulder, the sound of the shower running she's using echoed through the halls. Cheeks bright pink as he chewed on his inner cheek nervously.

This wasn't like him. Normally, Kristoff would shrug people off and never gave a damn about what other people thought or felt. He's lived in New York for over two years without any friends without regrets. Well, he's made some acquaintances (Oaken, the landlord of the apartment that wouldn't stop bugging him about his monthly dues, some customers in the coffee shop he works at, and some of his workmates in the construction site.)

The farthest he's gone with anyone was saying 'hi' and 'hello'. And usually barked at them to go away. But inviting a complete stranger to his apartment? Never.

But he let his manliness crumble to the ground when he saw the ginger moping on the ground, eyes wide with emotion with tears threatening to stream down her face. He's put himself in an impossible situation.

His face flushed deeper as he had never brought a girl home in his entire life. It wasn't like he was thinking of such—thoughts but… he knew if his folks knew about this, they'd never let him off. His mom would probably rant away about how he should marry this random girl he's met on the streets with endless giggles at the back of her throat and his dad would probably give him a big pat on the back, with tears in his eyes and proudly nodding at him and calling him his son.

He crossed his fingers wishing that they wouldn't visit tonight, please, not tonight. His parents did have the weird habit of just suddenly bursting into his apartment without his permission.

But for tonight, he just wanted a nice, peaceful evening with… her? Nope, she could get some sleep and get out. It wasn't like he was getting chummy with her at all.

He sighed as he reverted his attention back to the TV.

"I'm, um, done."

Kristoff's head jerked towards the squeaky voice, finding Anna standing over him. Her hair dripping wet from the shower, finally loose from its braids as it cascaded down over her shoulder. She wore a jersey with the nimber 13 written on it that covered over her lower half and shorts that was just above her knees. The blonde blushed.

"Uh, cool," his voice caught in his throat.

"I guess I should get going…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Kristoff exclaimed as he caught her wrist in his hand by impulse. "Going out and getting wet again without a place to stay? Really."

Anna swallowed the lump in her throat, turning to him as she chewed on her lower lip. "Uh… yeah?"

He shook his head, a chuckle rumbling from his chest.

"You can stay here for the mean time," he patted the cushion of the couch hoping she'd grab a seat next to him. "Here, sit. I made you hot chocolate."

Anna shrugged as she obliged. She plopped down the seat next to him, swinging her legs playfully as they watched the news uneasily in silence for a moment.

"Thank you, really," she managed to say as she took the cup from the coffee table and cradled it in hand, nervously tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "For all of this."

"No problem," he answered nonchalantly, never wavering to break his gaze from the newscaster. "Still, did your parents ever warn you about strangers?"

Anna froze at the question, but relaxed as she exhaled heavily. Kristoff felt the tension in the air rise, still uncomfortable within each other's presence. "Well, yes they did."

Okay maybe it wasn't a good idea to make myself look suspicious.

Kristoff thought in regret as he watched her shift her weight on the couch, an awkward silence following.

"But the thing is," Anna managed to cough out as she looked up at him, striking him with her blue eyes. "My womanly instincts, somehow, I mean—I trust you."

Kristoff felt his heart beat a little quicker. But chose to ignore it.

She laughed as she tucked a stray lock of hair back her ear.

"I mean, a gentleman brought me in when no one else would. So, I'm in debt to you. Do you… think that's weird?"

He shook his head.

"No, definitely not," he said as he leaned back the couch, grabbing a handful of fries and stuffing it up his mouth as he turned the TV on. "And just so you know, I'm no gentleman. Just… nice for the day, better use up all my niceness before rubbing it off."

She giggled again.

"So, tell me, what brings you to New York? It takes lots of guts to get around here, especially if you don't have anyone you know."

Anna turned her head and glanced at the TV. The news was on and said something about a robbery in some big bank around Los Angeles.

"Actually, I do," she shrugged, eyes rolling. Kristoff strained to look at her from the corner of his eyes, keeping his attention from her and the TV. So far so good with the harmless stranger. "She's my sister. We used to be close but now we're just—you know. Not anymore."

"Harsh," he nodded as blinked at the TV.

"So I came here. Well, to go after her—and my dream. But so far I've had 0 progress in both."

"Lemme guess," he said as he turned to her and wiggled his eyebrows at her guitar. "You came here to become some top notch singer, huh?

Anna took a slow sip from her cup as she nodded, warmth enveloping her insides. But she didn't consider herself as top notch or anything…

"I did," she said as her head inched up to look up the ceiling, staring dreamily into nowhere. "You guessed, huh?"

"Well, lots of people pack their bags and head around here to find agents to take them in. Not much are successful, you got to have passion, talent, and all that stuff," he stated in disinterest as he reverted his attention back to the TV. Somehow, his nerves calmed down to the presence of the ginger next to him.

She grew silent for a moment, only their heavy breathing hung in the air. Kristoff's nerves perked up in attention once more as he thought back on what he said—did he say something wrong?

"I want to sing," Anna stated in blatant manner.

They turned their heads towards each other, seeing a burning determination swirl within her deep blue colored eyes. Her small hands clenched down and wrapped itself along the hot cup.

"I want to sing," she said again, a soft smile played along her lips as passion rushed within every vein in her body. "I want to be heard—because nobody listens to you when you just talk, I want people to enjoy my music, I want to learn how to love cheering fans, I want to inspire, I want them to feel the emotions I feel when I sing when I shout, scream, cry and—" she's lost herself in her words, but he found himself lost in her too. She caught his attention once more as she choked.

"I want to sing," she managed, finally.

Kristoff found that she's a little unstable, awkward, and when she talks her hands flail everywhere and her little nose scrunching up as she talked, eyes rolling everywhere in exasperation. She spilled her words out like water, leaving him to slowly drown in them.

He smiled at her softly, leaning over her as his breath ghosted over her freckled face.

"Then sing for me."

His own words surprised himself, as if he had said it by impulse. He chewed on his inner cheek nervously, all his efforts of trying not to get close to the stranger had gone down the drain. He got too caught up in her. "—I mean, I'd love to hear you sing, I'm sure you're a great singer just look at you! So young and talented it'd be great if you—"

Anna felt her face heat up, shyly nodding at him as she chewed on her lip. She opened her mouth to sing, for him, and maybe by singing she'd cut him off his babbling.

But instead she—

Achoo!

She sneezed into her palm, wiping her nose in the process and completely destroying the mood.

Great. Way to go, Anna.

She silently cursed to herself. Hoping she hadn't grossed the wits out of him yet.

He managed to laugh out despite her unladylike manners as he shifted his weight on the couch to turn to her.

"It's getting late…" his voice trailed off as he glanced at the clock hanging up the cream-colored walls of his apartment. "You should get some sleep. You can use my room, I'll take the couch. If you get hungry there's cold pizza in the fridge. Feel right at home, Red."

Anna gave him a look of concern.

"Are you sure?"

"Positively."

She nodded as she took his kindness astride, getting up and brushing her jersey before excusing herself. She placed the cup back at the table.

Before she disappeared along the halls, she turned back at him with a smile on her delicate face, hands fisted on her jersey shirt.

"Thank you," she said in a sincere voice that only he had heard, and he alone behind the storm brewing outside. He found himself watching her trot down the hall and disappearing into the darkness with her hair bouncing behind her back.

Since when did he become such a softie? He finally made plans in the back of his head that he'd pay the gym a visit tomorrow after picking Sven up from the clinic, he had a lot of catching up to do that concerned his manliness.

Maybe, just maybe, he could get used to the company. And the unfamiliar warmth that he felt that swirled in his chest. Just when he thought Sven's company was enough.

Guessing she wouldn't poke her head around any longer to check up on him—if she ever cared, he silently whispered a closing to himself, hoping that it'd miraculously find it's way towards her. Eyelids heavy, pictures of the ginger smiling at him behind his head, on replay like a broken radio. Maybe the sandman would bring him good dreams tonight.

"Goodnight, Anna. Sweet dreams, I guess."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was it? Hopefully not as suckish as I think it is. You can check this story out on ffnet with the same title, more info on my profile

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you liked it. english really isnt my native language but i tried. till next time~


End file.
